Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Tomorrowland Additions

January 15, 1975 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

Space Mountain opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.  A space-themed indoor roller coaster, originally envisioned by Walt Disney for Tomorrowland at Disneyland in the 1960’s, the technology to build it simply didn’t yet exist when Walt dreamed it up.  The first official ride is taken by Colonel James Irwin, the pilot of the Apollo XV Lunar Module on Apollo XV.

Also opening on this day in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom is the Carousel of Progress, an attraction relocated to Florida from Disneyland in California, tracing 100 years of innovations in electricity. The attraction had a home in Tomorrowland at Disneyland from 1967 – 1972, but it originally debuted at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.  It features a rotating carousel, whereby the guests are seated and rotate around the various stationary stages where an audio-animatronics family showcases American life from the days before electricity to the present.

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - International Gateway Opens

January 12, 1990 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

The International Gateway opens at EPCOT Center. This new second entrance allows guests staying in the various Epcot area resort hotels access to the park without having to take a bus to the front of the park.  The new entrance is located between the United Kingdom and France pavilions in World Showcase.

Featured Foto Friday - Downtown Disney Lego Creations

The Lego store at Walt Disney World has some terrific creations on display.  Here, the classic scene from "Sleeping Beauty" where Prince Phillip battles the evil Maleficent turned into a dragon, in order to get to the castle to find his true love.  

Tuesday Trivia - United Kingdom Pavilion

The United Kingdom pavilion found in Epcot's World Showcase features eight different architectural styles for a tour of the islands that make up the U.K.  Styles include:  London Victorian, Yorkshire manor, Tudor, Georgian, Hyde Park, Regency and Shakespearean cottage.  

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Disney-MGM Studios Changes

January 7, 1992 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

Disney-MGM Studios debuts the all-new Voyage of The Little Mermaid, a multi-media presentation, replacing Here Come the Muppets. The new show is a 17-minute experience, featuring a unique combination of special effects, film clips, live performances and innovative puppetry.

January 7, 2008 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

Disney-MGM Studios is now officially called Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Featured Foto Friday - Mr. Ray at Art of Animation

Mr. Ray at Disney's newest resort, Art of Animation at Walt Disney World.  It's just one of many oversized icons around the resort.  This new value-level resort includes both traditional rooms and family suites.  It has 4 phases: Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. 

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - New in Fantasyland and Epcot

January 1, 1959 – Disneyland – Anaheim, CA

The Fantasyland Autopia, sponsored by the Richfield Oil Company, opens in Disneyland, offering a second version of the beloved Tomorrowland attraction.

January 1, 1997 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

Two new musical groups debut at Walt Disney World in Epcot’s World Showcase:  Off Kilter in the Canada Pavilion, and The British Invasion in the United Kingdom pavilion.  Off Kilter is a Celtic rock band performing on a stage located between the Canada and United Kingdom pavilions, and The British Invasion is a quartet celebrating the famed 1960’s songs of the Beatles, playing in the gardens at the back of the United Kingdom pavilion.

Featured Foto Friday - Stitch's Bakery at the Boardwalk

Stitch finds a home at the Boardwalk Inn in this delightful Gingerbread creation, one of several found at numerous Deluxe and DVC resorts at the Walt Disney World Resort.  

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Candlelight at Disneyland

December 21, 1958 – Disneyland – Anaheim, CA

Disneyland presents the very first  Candlelight Processional Parade. Hosted by actor Dennis Morgan, it is performed on Main Street, U.S.A. and in Town Square. The event was conceived by Dr. Charles Hirt of the University of Southern California School of Music and features a large choir from schools invited from around Southern California to proceed down Main Street while singing Christmas carols prior to the re-telling of the birth of Jesus in front of the Train Station in Town Square.  (This event will become a Christmas-season tradition at the park, and later be copied at Walt Disney World in 1971, where it would also become a Christmas-season tradition).

Featured Foto Friday - Osborne Family Lights

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Roy O Disney Passes Away

December 20, 1971 – Burbank, CA

Roy O. Disney, Walt's older brother and lifelong business partner, and co-founder of Walt Disney Productions, passes away at the age of 78 from a cerebral hemorrhage.  Roy served as the company's Chief Executive Officer (1929–1971) and President (1945–1971). While Walt was the creative man, Roy was the one who made sure the company was financially stable - and it was Roy who made sure that Walt’s last dream came to fruition.  Roy made sure that the company pressed forward with Disney World, but even taking it a step further and renaming the project Walt Disney World so that the world would always remember whose dream it truly was. With both Disney brothers gone, the board of directors for the first time will have to turn outside the Disney family for leadership. 

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Test Track

December 19, 1998 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

Test Track opens in Epcot’s Future World at Walt Disney World, on the site of the former World of Motion attraction.   (Epcot will host a Grand Opening dedication later in March 1999.)

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Candlelight Processional

December 18, 1971 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

Walt Disney World's very first Candlelight Processional is held.  Modeled after the Candlelight Processional that has been a staple of Christmas season entertainment at Disneyland since 1958, the processional travels up Main Street, U.S.A. from Town Square to the forecourt of Cinderella Castle where a performance featuring a mass choir of 1,200 carolers from across Florida takes place, with movie star Rock Hudson narrating the Christmas story. 

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Walt Disney Passes Away

December 15, 1966 – Burbank, CA

Walter Elias Disney passes away at St. Joseph's Hospital of acute circulatory collapse, as a result of lung cancer, just ten days after his 65th birthday.  The flags on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland are flown at half-staff, as the park opens at Lillian Disney's request to honor her belief that Walt would have wanted the show to go on.  Walt's 74-year old brother Roy determines to postpone his retirement in order to pursue Walt's last dream, the recently announced construction of Walt Disney World in Florida.

December 15, 1973 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction officially opens in Adventureland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Housed in a golden Spanish fort called Castillo Del Morro, it is located in the all-new Caribbean Plaza expansion area of Adventureland.  It is based on the original attraction of the same name which opened 6 years earlier at Disneyland and features 125 Audio-Anamatronics (comprised of 65 pirates & villagers and 60 animals).  Guests ride in batueax through flumes filled with 155,000 gallons of water, and unlike the Disneyland original go down one 14-foot drop instead of two drops, which is due to the higher water table in Florida than Southern California.

December 15, 1989 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

Star Tours officially opens at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. It is the first attraction to open in the park's new Backlot Annex area.  Based on the successful Star Wars franchise of movies, it is Disney's 3rd version of the attraction, having first opened at Disneyland in 1986 and Tokyo Disneyland in July 1989.

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Disney's POP Century Resort Opens

December 14, 2003 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

After many delays  Walt Disney World's newest-value level resort, POP Century Resort finally opens for business.  The resort is located at 1050 Century Drive, near the Disney-MGM Studios theme park and the expansive Wide World of Sports complex.  It features 2,880 guest rooms.

Flashback Friday - Country Bear Jamboree Christmas Show

As we turn back time on this Flashback Friday, we take a glimpse at the seasonal overlay for the classic bruin show - the Country Bear Jamboree Christmas Show.  This special seasonal overlay appeared at both the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, bringing a bit of holiday cheer to update and refresh an old standby every December.  

Disney Cruise Line Unveils Early 2014 Itineraries

Disney Cruise Line officially announced their "early" 2014 itineraries today (apparently early to them means through August). But no matter, it's great news.  Here's part of the official announcement sent out this morning.  

"With all four Disney Cruise Line® ships sailing from Florida ports in the early half of 2014, your Clients will have more opportunities than ever to visit Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, or combine a cruise with a visit to the Walt Disney World® Resort to experience New Fantasyland®, the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom® Park history.

In the early part of 2014, Disney Magic® will return to Port Canaveral, joining Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, while the Disney Wonder® will homeport in Miami. Your Clients can choose from a variety of exciting itineraries – from quick getaways to week-long tropical vacations with something for everyone in the family to enjoy!"

Booking will begin at 8 am on Thursday, December 6th for all guests, and it actually begins at 8 am Wednesday, December 5th for any Gold or Platinum members of the Castaway Club.  I have a long list of folks waiting to get booked but would be happy to help any others who have not yet put in their free vacation quote request.  Simply visit this link to do so:

http://www.neverlandadventurestravel.com/whats-new-disney-cruise-linereg1.html

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Shrinking Audiences and Dancing Christmas Lights

November 24, 1994 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, a new multi-media 3-D movie experience, has an official opening at the Journey Into Imagination pavilion in Future World at Epcot.  The new film replaced Captain EO, and has already been running in “soft openings” for the last few days.

November 24, 1995 – Walt Disney World – Lake Buena Vista, FL

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights brightens Disney-MGM Studios for the very first time. The  overwhelmingly positive reaction from Walt Disney World guests will turn the park's Residential Street Christmas display into a yearly tradition.

Featured Foto Friday - Gingerbread Splendor!

This magnificent Gingerbread House is found at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort.  It's an annual tradition at the Walt Disney World Resort to see beautiful gingerbread creations throughout numerous Deluxe level resorts.  This image was captured in December 2010.  

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Disney's All-Star Music Resort

November 22, 1994 – Walt Disney World

Disney’s All-Star Music Resort opens at 1801 West Buena Vista Drive in Walt Disney World. It is the second phase of the All-Star Resorts.  (The first was All-Star Sports).  It is located on the southern portion of the resort’s property, west of World Drive (in what would eventually become the Animal Kingdom area).  This newest value level resort is divided into 5 areas: Calypso, Jazz Inn, Rock Inn, Country Fair, and Broadway.